


Blooming power

by MayWritesSometimes



Category: Cardcaptor Sakura
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:14:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26855794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayWritesSometimes/pseuds/MayWritesSometimes
Summary: Sakura stumbles upon a lotus pond while having a stroll with her thoughts. She's not as alone as she thinks though, because a true magician never really is.
Relationships: Sakura/Syaoran (CLAMP)
Kudos: 4





	1. Lotus

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this back in 2018 as part of the Syaosaku week on Tumblr, but I still love it and I feel like it would have a better home here. The prompts were all flower names and somehow they all got tangled into this big complicated thing in my mind that I never finished, but the four chapters that I did write can hold up their own. I hope you enjoy :)

This would be such a good place for a date, she thinks, blushing slightly at the idea. We could sit right there, in the grass under the willow, and enjoy the peaceful scenery of the lake, the delicate scent of the lotus flowers in full bloom and the soft sound of the water lapping at the sand.

She sits, as if to test her idea, and closes her eyes, pretending he is with her right now and not half a continent away. It's a hot, heavy day, and she appreciates the shadow under the tree and the breath of fresh air coming from the water, brushing her wild hair from her face. It will not be long before she sees him again, she knows, but even a week so far apart hurts. She takes her phone out of her bag and fiddles with the idea of calling or texting, but decides against it. He's with family and she should not disturb him. Besides, it's not like she has anything important to tell him. These days anytime she calls he answers with urge and anxiety in his voice. It makes her sad that he worries so much.

Today is the first time in a long while that Sakura is left to her own devices. Her dad and brother are at work, Kero is occupied at home and refuses to move beyond a three meters radius from the air conditioner, all her friends have things to do and Syaoran is back home in Hong Kong. She doesn't mind the alone time, it's a nice change of pace. Especially since they all keep asking her how she feels constantly. 

She watches the dance of the dragonflies in the sunlight, their wings glittering as they come and go around the lotus flowers. This place gives her a feeling of peace and contentment, as a small world in and of itself,a tiny universe of respite from the chaos of her life. How nice would it be to jump across the lily pads, to make friends with the koi fishes and butterflies ? As night comes, to dance amongst the fireflies ? She could just about picture it, a dress made of lotus petals, shining in the moonlight, and the music of crickets, toads and owls to lead her right into the spirit of summer.

Sakura gets up and walks to the edge of the water. She wants to smell the lotus, to make the illusion last just a bit longer, just a bit further.

She should have known better.

The pull and tug of magic at work throws her off balance and she tumbles face first into the water. She braces for impact, but instead of meeting the earth under the shallow water, she finds herself fading through the liquid without end. She opens her eyes, looking up to the rays of light piercing the liquid like golden swords, and swims, soon emerging again. She must have fallen further from the edge than she had thought, as she cannot see it from where she is. She spots the lily pads and lotus flowers. These grow next to the edge of the water, where it is shallow and quiet, she thinks, and goes that way. Maybe whatever magic is at work here dropped her right in the middle of the lake. 

The swim is longer still than she had thought, and the shapes of the green seems just as unreachable as when she started. Her muscles ache, and Sakura stops. It's time to think more practically. She could fly there, but she doesn't know if the flight card likes water. Most likely it doesn't, with its delicate shape and texture. 

«Release !»

No, the most efficient card here would not be flight. 

«Aqua ! Push me to the lily pads !»

It's a good thing the area is deserted. She soars through the water, pushed by the magic of aqua, and finally reaches the greenery. It's enormous. Either the world has suddenly grown ten times bigger, or she is now fairy sized. With a final push, aqua gets her to stand on a lily pad and dissolves, its work done. Sakura thanks it. 

She knows that the only way to get back to get normal size is to catch the card responsible. She understands now, what she suspected for a while is true. She does create the cards as she wishes for things. It doesn't have to be a strong wish, or even an articulate one, it can be a curiosity or a vague feeling, and that's how she makes the cards. She wonders if anyone else knows, if that's why everybody worries about her. But it makes sense that she would be the only one capable of sensing the clear cards. She senses her own magic. It's scary, dangerous that any thing she could think of might materialise. What if someone gets hurt because she had mused about volcanoes or meteorites ? It is enough to make anyone feel anxious. 

The wind blows the lotus perfume in her face, and so close to the flowers the powerful scent is intoxicating. Sakura breathes in deeply and looks up at the dragonflies. Magic is magic, there is no reason to let it scare her. Sure, she doesn't understand what is happening to her, and she misses Syaoran badly, but even alone there is no reason to be so gloomy. She has always dealt with the cards, this is no different from the usual shenanigans. 

She closes her eyes, feeling the magic, trying to pinpoint its exact location. It feels close, inside the jungle of lotus flowers. Sakura bounces across the lily pads, laughing softly at the strange elasticity they offer in her smaller size. The magic turns as playful as her, and evades as she closes in, hiding amongst the greenery in a winding hide and seek game. She can glimpse it from the corner of her eye, but never quite catch up. 

«Labyrinth !»

This should even the playing field, she thinks. The plants are now arranging themselves to trap the rogue card in dead ends, twisting and turning to reroute it back to Sakura. It fights and evades but eventually she gets a clear view of the little trickster.

«Force without master, heed the call of my staff of dreams, and become my power ! Secure ! »

The card obediently turns back and she only has time to glimpse at it before the magic that made her small dispels and she falls through the lily pads and lotus flowers right into the shallow waters of the lake. Untangled in the long stems and large leaves, it takes her a while to sort herself out and finally stumble out, drenched and dirty. She looks down on her ruined outfit and thinks, maybe it was not such a bad thing that Syaoran sat this one out. Or Tomoyo, for that matters. She picks up her abandoned bag and cover on the lake side and walks home.

In a week she could see him again. And for now, she has a fun story to tell, which is an excellent excuse to text him. She smiles.


	2. Red rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Syaoran is back and has a date with Sakura.

It's not much, now that he’s staring at it. Just a tiny hair clip, made out of red glass. Maybe it would have been better to pick two, it would look less small, more like a proper gift. And yet it would also be so much less, in a pair, instead of a unique object, a special attention hand picked amongst all the possible trinkets. 

He has to stop doubting himself. It might not be perfect, but nothing is since he wants to give her the whole world, so this might as well do. A small token to remember him by for the summer vacation. He closes the little box shut and carefully puts it away for tomorrow.

For their date.

He hopes she'll like it.

🌹

When the alarm rings Syaoran jumps right out of bed. He has a big day ahead, one that he looks forward to but also one that scares him a bit. All the good and bad anticipation mix painfully in his stomach. He eats, showers, brushes his teeth, all carefully. He picks out an outfit that would be appropriate for the hot weather and still look a bit sophisticated, he hopes. At least he thinks that it says “I care". He double checks his pockets for his phone, keys and wallet. He leaves. He's way early.

It's already hot outside, but there's a bit of welcomed wind to refresh him as he walks to the park. It's too early for the children to be playing on the penguin slide, only the birds chirping keep him company. It's peaceful, and he hopes that the day ahead will be just as bright and happy as he feels now. He wants to see Sakura smile with all her heart, with no shadow of doubt or fear in the back of her eyes, nothing else on her mind than the enjoyment from making memories together. 

He can sense her long before he can either see or hear her. Her magic has grown so much lately he's worried that soon there won't be a place left in the city far enough from her to ignore her presence. That would upsetting, to be able to feel her but know she's unreachable, too far away to hear his voice… not to mention all the people power like that could attract. He frowns slightly, worried, but it's soon wiped away from his face as he sees Sakura coming cheerfully.

She looks so pretty.

Tomoyo can tuck her in any ridiculous outfit and she'll still look radiant. Even as a cat, a frog, or with bells hanging from her hat ; at this point Syaoran is convinced that she simply cannot look bad. And today she's particularly cute. 

He greets her with a wide smile. They walk together to the bus stop and chatter happily. The weather is perfect for a date.

He takes her to the botanical garden. There are many kinds of rare plants and flowers there, outside or in covered gardens, exotic ones with petals bigger than their heads and bright, flashy colors, water plants growing on an artificial lake that they admire as they walk on a wooden bridge right across it. There is even an aviary with tropical plants and birds, parrots who talk back and whistle after them, colorful little parakeets flying amongst the leaves. 

The visit is pleasant and uncharacteristically peaceful. Sakura is smiling, whistling with the birds and smelling the flowers. Nothing attacks them, nothing disturbs them, and it becomes quite obvious that this will be an ordinary date. Yet Syaoran doesn't feel less anxious ; now he has no good reason not to give her the gift. He's waiting for the right time, the right place, but either there's other people around or Sakura sees something and twirls towards it or he simply cannot bring himself to do it. 

“Syaoran-kun, let's get some ice cream !”

She points to a shop conveniently nestled in the shadows of trees. He agrees. He offers to pay for hers and has to insist, making the both of them blush in embarrassment as she doesn't want to be a bother to him and he doesn't want to let her pay for her own. It is a date, after all. After a short stuttering argument, she gives in and thanks him ten times in a row. He smiles.

They go sit under the trees as well to eat. It's too hot in the sun, and they have a beautiful view of the moss garden from here. Syaoran likes moss gardens, they have this ancient look to them that makes them so special. In Hong Kong it's too crowded to have anything like them, and it's one of his favorite things in Japan. He glances at Sakura. She has finished her ice cream and is looking at the stone lanterns. She has this look on her face, the one that says that she's lost in thoughts and that if he doesn't do something soon, she'll use her magic without realizing. He breathes deeply.

“Sakura, I…”

She turns towards him, curious.

“I have something for you.”

He feels the heat in his cheeks and avoids her gaze, busying himself by fumbling for the box. It's safely tucked in his pocket, but it takes him three tries to close his fingers around it nonetheless. His throat is too closed up to say anything as he presents it to Sakura. 

“For me?”

He nods, and she carefully reaches for it, their fingers brushing as she takes it. His heart is beating painfully in his chest and the contact of their skin feels like raw fire. 

“Can I open it?”

He nods again.

She opens the box and he cannot take his eyes off her face, looking anxiously for the play of emotions to light it up or darken it. Will she like it ? Will she hate it ? Her eyes round in surprise and look up from the box to his face.

“Oh, Syaoran-kun…”

That's it, she hates it, his life is over. Before his own expression can go from shock to utter despair, she falls in his arms and his hugs him, muttering from the fabric of his shirt.

“Thank you, it's beautiful!"

He barely hears it. She's hugging him, and the feeling of her is drowning all his other senses.

She's hugging him, and he can't stop smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading !


	3. Cherry blossom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura heeps having nightmares and Syaoran worries about her.

She wakes up with a start and feels her heart racing in her chest. In a reflex, she checks the key hanging at her throat, and calms down at the familiar contact of the warm object. She traces the edges of the crystal star with her finger. It's still here, that was just the dream again. Always the same one. She cannot figure it out, this repeating dream, this hooded figure that gives off such a familiar vibe, so much so that she fails to be afraid. Until the figure steals her magic, that is. 

Sakura has only had magic in her life for two years, but already she knows that she could not live without it. It is as much part of her as her arms or legs, and she would feel just as maimed without it. Yet, in this terrible recurring dream, she can do nothing to stop the figure from stealing it from her. 

She stands up carefully in the dark room and pads to the window. She doesn't want to wake anyone up, and peers through the blinds, looking for the moon. The city is too brightly lit to see many stars, but the moon is there, high up, smiling down on the earth like a tender mother. The sight of it cheers Sakura up. She knows the dream is nothing close to ordinary, but since she can't figure it out, she can only wait and see, and trust that she will be okay.

As she turns away to get back to bed, her eyes fall down on a framed photograph. She picks it up, taking advantage of the streetlights, to look at it. She already knows which it is, but it's one of her favorites. It was taken back in March, before her birthday, as they went flower viewing together. The whole gang's here, smiling at the camera, under the beautiful cherry tree that she had picked out a little away from the big Hanami crowd. 

It was a sweet memory and a treasured moment for her. She was so happy and excited that everybody had come, and especially that Syaoran could be there. He had shortly returned from Hong Kong, and it still felt quite like a dream to have him there with her after a long separation. She smiles and puts the photograph back carefully, then slides under her cover, quiet like a cat. 

She turns to the side, checking that she hasn't woken Kero up, and catches the blinking light of her phone, half buried under the pillow. It's a text message. Now that she's seen it, she won't be able to leave it alone. That's just how it is, instead of falling back asleep, she'll think about the message, and obsess over it. She might as well save herself some time and indulge now. 

It's a cute gif of Kero fussing over a strawberry cupcake that Tomoyo sent her. She must have filmed that the last time she came over for afternoon tea. Sakura smiles in the dark as the loop goes on and on before her eyes, and finally she's tired and calm again and feels like she could fall asleep. She pushes the back button that takes her to the list of conversations, and she glimpses an online name, colored green.

Syaoran. 

Her heart skips a beat just looking at his name. What is he doing up so late ? Could he be looking at her name right now, lit up and green on his own phone screen, and wondering the same thing ? She taps on the name and opens the conversation. His profile picture is a group photo from the time they went to the shrine together, focused on the both of them. She loves that he cropped it like that.

She wants to write something. She keeps staring at the online icon but can't think of anything right. She closes her eyes for a second and breathes deeply. It shouldn't be so complicated to talk to Syaoran, right ?

“Hi"

It's ridiculously small and ordinary. Her cheeks are hot with embarrassment that she couldn't find anything better to write.

“Hey"

An answer ! She sees he is still typing. Her heart beats faster as she waits for the text to appear.

“Was it the dream again ?”

Even when he isn't with her he reads her like a book. Sakura has never been good at hiding her thoughts or feelings, and Syaoran knows her so well... It’s one of the things that make her feel so comfortable with him. There's no point in lying.

“Yes, but it's okay. I was going to get back to sleep now”

“Anything new happened ? How are you feeling ?”

“I am good, don't worry :3 No, nothing new, just this weird impression that I know this person very well"

Sometimes she even wonders if she isn't the hooded figure. That would explain why she feels so connected to this person, so… similar. Same height, same stature, same quiet strength that grows with each encounter. Same power over the key. She doesn't know what it would mean, but it would be pretty strange to face herself like that. 

“Okay, as long as you feel good there's nothing to worry about. Try and get some sleep before tomorrow"

“You too"

They stay online for a few more seconds and Sakura finally puts the phone down.

She doesn't feel so alone in the middle of the night now, and she smiles. She can sleep peacefully and dream innocent dreams, and tomorrow she will see her friends again and talk and laugh together with them. 

She falls asleep smiling softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading !


	4. Amaryllis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura is having a sad day. Hopefully, she is not alone and Syaoran is there for her through thick and thin.

It's easy to pass by someone and completely miss them. Like they were never there in the first place. We treat other people in the street like vague objects to avoid collision with, or we look at them only to judge them by how they dress and look. We don't connect with them, we utterly miss these people.

That's what Sakura is thinking as she sits on a bench outside of her brother's workplace, waiting for him to finish his shift. So many people have walked past her, and none have paid her any mind, none has imagined that she might be sad or scared. Or none of them cared.

She doesn't know why today specifically she feels so blue. Nothing particular happened, but somehow today she's anxious, she's scared of the future, of her fainting spells, of her friends alienating her because of her strangeness. She feels transparent, unimportant, inconsequential. Inexistant. There's no reason, yet she can't shake the feeling.

So she made food for her brother, knowing that he only had a short break between two jobs and would come home late and exhausted, with the intention of making his day a bit better since hers refused to be any good.

The sunlight on her skin does not cheer her as usual, but it feels nice. She closes her eyes a minute, trying to empty her mind. Maybe she's just stressed. She opens them again as she hears a familiar voice. It's her brother, talking on the phone. He's coming towards the bench and sits right next to her, not making a sign in greeting. That's rich.

She doesn't want to be rude and waves, gesturing at her bento bag. Touya doesn't pay any attention and fumbles with his headphones, trying to untangle them with one hand.

So this might be a long conversation. 

Sakura sighs. It makes her sad that he would be so rude with her, but Touya is so busy, and from the voice coming out of the little phone speakers, Yukito is at the other end of the line. They don't get as much time to themselves as they used to, so this might be some important catching up time. She puts the bento bag down on her brother's knees and gets up, ready to give him the space he's begging for. She waves goodbye, but he doesn't look at her, he's frowning and looking down at the bag.

Bah, now he's upset with how she wrapped it ? That man is a nightmare !

She stomps away and Yukito’s voice gets lost in the crowd.

“Touya ? Touya, are you…”

She'll have to find something else to do.

Sakura gets home and sends a message to Tomoyo. Maybe she wants to meet somewhere. She's online, but she doesn't see the message, and then she goes offline. She must be busy.

Kero is playing video games. He's so concentrated that when Sakura speaks to him, he doesn't even answer and continue shouting at the screen. She's not in the mood to sit and watch, so she leaves him alone. Maybe a long walk will clear her mind.

Sakura doesn't walk for long though, because the people keep bumping into her and stepping on her feet. She doesn't understand what it is with people today ! And they never apologise. Why is everyone being so rude to her ? She stops in front of a shop and stares blankly at the window. It sells clothes, but Sakura had never paid any special attention to it before. She realises as a group of people pass behind her that it's probably because the window is incredibly reflective, all you can see through it is your own reflection.

Only she can't see herself.

She sees the passersby as clearly as if she was looking directly at them, but nothing where she herself stands. Only clothes arranged prettily inside the store. 

She is transparent.

That would explain everyone's strange behavior with her today. She needs to find somewhere less crowded and capture the card responsible for this. She doesn't know this area very well, so she picks a direction with less people and gets utterly lost in the maze of streets, looking for a deserted alley or a park.

That's the downside of a beautiful, sunny summer day. Everybody is outside, and she doesn't want anyone to be peeking when she captures the card and suddenly reappears.

She has not even begun to think about how she'll do it.

Her blind errand gets her to a square with a single patch of flowers in the middle. They're pretty pink amaryllises, that she recognises from a picture Tomoyo used for inspiration. The square is too small to attract children looking for a playground, and there is no bench for adults to relax. Finally an empty space. 

Sakura breathes and think. If she uses both siege and mirror, she might break the card’s power.

“Release ! Siege, mirror ! Create a closed space entirely reflective !”

Siege encompasses her, and mirror tries to reflect but finds nothing and goes back to card form. She tries reflect instead, but still nothing.

Sakura is starting to worry.

“Record !”

It shows nothing where she stands.

Is there any way to break this spell ? She tries the cards one by one, but they all fail to help. She's tired, hot and still invisible. Finally siege returns to card form and she sits near the flowers, head in her hands. 

Footsteps echo through the square. She doesn't look up, and doesn't bother hiding her staff ; it's not like she's going to shock someone. The person slows down, and stops in front of her. Then only she lifts her gaze up. A vaguely familiar looking pair of shoes and cargo pants, a clean, khaki shirt and oh god it's Syaoran.

He's back from the grocery store apparently, holding a plastic bag from which a leek is peeking. He stares intently through her, and frowns. She could talk to him, but she's pretty sure he would not be able to hear it and that would be both painful and unnecessarily humiliating. She could also just leave, but she doesn't want to.

She wishes so hard that he could see her, card or no card. She knows it's silly, but if only he could see through the magic…

A moment passes and Syaoran looks more and more confused, like he's forgetting why he stopped here in the first place. Sakura is sadder than she has been all day and decides to leave after all. He's obviously not seeing her, so she'll just go figure this out somewhere else, maybe after she has slept for a couple of hours, or centuries. 

She stands up and brushes her shorts, and Syaoran immediately walks towards her.

“Sakura ? Is that you ?”

How did he..?

He's blushing, and looks very upset that he’s speaking to an empty square, but he goes on anyway.

“I can sense you. Are you in trouble ?”

She turns around and picks a flower. She wants to give it to him as a sign that he's not crazy and talking to himself, but he won't pick it up. Even if she tickles his face with it, apparently. She sticks it on the front of his shirt and hears a gasp as she lets go of it.

Now he sees it.

“How can I help ?”

She doesn't know. She doesn't understand how this card works, it's just decided to mess with her and nothing can break its power over her. 

“Sakura… you're always smiling and helping others. You're so kind.”

She feels her own face growing hot. Where is he going with that ?

“But you never ask for help. When you're in trouble, you try and face it all by yourself. And we… no I, I worry. All the time. I want to help. I want to know when you're in trouble, I want to… be with you"

He whispers the end of the sentence in a voice so low that even in this empty square she struggles to hear him. But she does, and it moves her to tears. She wants to hug him, but he can't even see her and it seems wrong so instead she just takes his hand in hers.

“Sakura! I can feel you, no, wait, I can see your hand !”

She might as well try it now.

“Force without master, heed the call of my staff of dreams, and become my power ! Secure !”

The card finally releases the hold on her and turns back to card form. Sakura looks up to Syaoran and they fall in each other's arms.

She is not afraid to cry, and for the first time today, she is not sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it ! Thank you for reading !

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading !


End file.
